Oregon spring game: Short on fireworks, big on moments

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Oregon has had more exciting spring games.

This one saw one Oregon team beat the other 17-10 in a game that appeared destined for a tie until Dakorien Moore hauled in a 60-yard touchdown pass from Brock Thomas in the final minutes.

There was no postgame concert, as Oregon has had before. There was no Marcus Mariota or Sabrina Ionescu — not even a Bo Nix — there to take in a standing ovation. And for a team that returns many of its weapons from last year’s CFP semifinal squad, there were only eight plays all afternoon that went for more than 15 yards.

There were, quite literally, no fireworks.

Yet after the fifth spring game of his Oregon career, Dan Lanning didn’t seem to mind. To him, this was still a practice — just one that happened to be played in front of 45,000 people.

“I got to go watch the film,” Lanning said. “But I love that we’re keeping stats in a scrimmage.”

Lanning gave that answer after being asked about the 10 sacks the two Oregon teams combined for Saturday. He was being slightly sarcastic, making sure to note that a sack in spring ball barely means more than touching the quarterback.

It’s a far cry from what the Ducks will experience in the trenches this fall. But that doesn’t mean everything Saturday was pretend.

There were the fantastic battles between Dakorien Moore and cornerback Brandon Finney Jr., two of the best sophomores at their respective positions in the country. There was the sheer size of Tommy Tofi, Oregon’s new 6-foot-6, 330-pound freshman offensive lineman. There was also Evan Stewart’s return from knee surgery, highlighted by the senior receiver catching a 76-yard touchdown pass for his first trip to the Autzen end zone since November 2024.

Stewart caught the ball from backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who saw Stewart in man coverage, waited for him to beat his defender, then dropped a pass right into Stewart’s hands.

Stewart was pointing to the stands and pumping his fists 20 yards before he even reached the end zone.

“This has been Evan’s best spring since he’s been here,” Lanning said. “When you have something that’s not there for a while and you have the opportunity to do it, you’re really hungry when you come back.”

Hunger isn’t exclusive to those who have been away, though.

It was the third Oregon spring game for Dante Moore, a period that’s seen the Detroit native go from big-name backup to hyped-up starter to Oregon’s unquestioned leader after a sophomore season in which he led the Ducks to the Peach Bowl.

While Moore’s NFL moment will eventually come, Saturday was about celebrating the former teammates already having theirs. Just after throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson in the first quarter, Moore found himself in a long embrace on the sideline with Bryce Boettcher, who had just been selected in the fourth round by the Indianapolis Colts.

Later in the game, Moore broke out into a wild celebration when the Autzen Stadium video board announced receiver Malik Benson’s selection by Las Vegas.

“It’s a blessing for all the guys that got drafted,” Moore said. “They worked their tails off and, of course, deserve everything that comes with it.

“Malik, everyone knows how we were last year. He’s like my best friend … I texted him this morning and am like, ‘You know your time is coming.’”

Moore’s will eventually, too.

He’s hungry. He knows there’s work to do, and he’ll soon dive into the tape from his performance on Saturday.

But, like Lanning, he knows that it’s still spring, too.

“It’s going to be nice,” Moore said. “So it’s time for golf.”